Bracelet



Dec. 10, 1935. 0.8. DAVIGNON BRACELET Filed April 27, 1934 IN VENTOA O Q bmvg' 'n ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRACELET Application April 27, 1934, Serial No. 722,665

8 Claims.

This invention relates to bracelet structures and particularly to a novel take-up device adapted for use with bracelets of the type constructed of two substantially semi-circular band sections joined together to form a semi-rigid, annular band. In

bracelets of this character, it has been the common practice heretofore to join the band sections together by a hinge and by a take-up device joining the free ends opposite the hinge and adapted to secure the free ends of the bracelet together or permit opening of the bracelet for removal over the hand. 4

It is my object to provide take-up means which dispenses with the common, flnger-operatedlatching mechanism used heretofore and which operates automatically, either upon pressing the sections of the bracelet together to lock the bracelet closed, or by the simple operation of pulling the sections apart to open the bracelet and hold it open a predetermined amount which will allow its removal from the arm. This object I have accomplished, as will appear, by providing a resilient tongue extension on the open end of one of the band sections which co-operates with a link pivoted to the other band section to exert a pressure lengthwise of the pivoted link. As will appear, the resilient tongue and pivoted link co-opcrate in a novel manner to exert a varying bending stress on the tongue as the bracelet is opened and closed, which stress is at a maximum at a point intermediate the fully open or closed positions. As the band sections are moved slightly from the point of maximum stress toward either the open or closed position, the direction of the force exerted by the resilient tongue on the band sections changes to move the sections of their own accord to either of those positions desired and to secure them in that position.

These and further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from a more detailed description thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the bracelet in fully opened position;

Fig. 2 is an elevation view of the bracelet show ing the parts in the position intermediate the fully opened and closed positions at which the resilient tongue is under maximum bending stress;

Fig. 3 is an elevation view, partly in section, showing the bracelet fully closed;

Fig. 4 is a detail section showing the concavoconvex hinge;

Fig. 5 is a detail section of the resilient tonguemember;

Fig. 6 is a detail section of the link means; and

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the pivot joining the link means and its adjacent band section.

As indicated in the drawing, the bracelet is constructed of two substantially semi-circular band 5 sections I and 2 hinged together at 3. The band sections are made of sheet metal which has pref erably been pressed to the concavo-convex crosssectional shape indicated in the drawing to give the metal rigidity while maintaining the desired 10 degree of resilience for a purpose which will appear. To form a neat hinged joint the hinge 3 should conform to the general concavo-convex cross-sectional shape of the band sections, as indicated in Fig. 3, and to that end I usually provide 15 that after the plates 4 and 5 of the hinge have been assembled with the pivot pin 6, the complete hinge structure is inserted in dies and pressed to the shape indicated in Fig. 4 which conforms to the general shape of the interior surface of the 20 band sections. It will be noted that by this construction not only does the hinge harmonize with the configuration of the bracelet but it also has a structural advantage in that the pin 1, because of its reverse curvature, does not need to be upset 25 at its ends and will not work out of the hinge sections.

The band section I is provided with a resilient tongue extension III which in v well be made from the material from which thc band sections I and 2 are constructed and is preferably formed integrally with'the section I as a tongue extension thereon; The tongue I 0 is preferably narrower than the band sections and joins the section I in a shoulder 9. To provide the desired springy resiliency in the tongue ID as well as to reinforce the tongue at its juncture with the band section I, the shoulder 9 is depressed as indicated at I I (Fig. 5)

The end I2 of the tongue III is bent up to form a lip which is slotted at I3 to receive and pivotally secure a loop l4 formed on the end of a pivoted link IS. The opposite end of the link I5 is pivoted to the bracelet section 2 at approximately the point indicated at 20 and this pivot may suitably comprise a pair of lugs 2| (Fig. "7) received in aligned bearing holes 22 in ears struck up from a plate 23, which plate is soldered or otherwise suitably secured to the undersurface of the band section 2. For a purpose which will appear, the plate 23 is turned up to provide a stop flange 24 (Fig. 6).

In closing the bracelet from its open position of Fig. 1 to the closed position of Fig. 3 the band seciiOIlS are manually pressed togetherto initiate a downward bending of the tongue I0 (Fig. 2) and I provide the tongue Ill withapermanent slight deflection downwardly as indicated at a in Fig. 5 to insure that upon the initial closing movement the thrust of the link I5 on the tongue will initiate the desired downward flexing of the tongue. I have found that for best results the tongue and link should be proportioned substantially as indicated and the pivot 20 should be secured on the undersurface of bandsection 2 in such position relative to the pivot I4 that the tongue and link will slope inwardly to the pivot I4 as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6 when the bracelet is open and so that the pivot 20 will rotate to the opposite side of pivot I4 as the bracelet is closed as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In the closing operation the sections I and 2- tongue member ID will be subjected to an increasing bending stress, which stress will be at a maximum when the parts are in substantially the relative position indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. It will be observed that if the band section 2 be moved a very slight distance to either side of the point of maximum stress the force against the section 2 will be toward the open or closed position, with the result that the bracelet will open or close rapidly and of its own accord after the section 2 has been manually moved to the corresponding side of the point of maximum stress.

In opening the bracelet the band sections need only be manually pulled apart, or, assuming the bracelet to be on the wrist of the wearer, either one of the sections may be grasped in the hand and the hand and wrist pulled apart to open the bracelet. This operation will, of course, be the reverse of that involved in closing the bracelet and as will be apparent the bracelet will snap to its fully open position as soon as the parts are moved slightly beyond the intermediate maximum pressure position of Fig. 2.

It will be noted from Fig. 2 that the resiliency of the band sections themselves permits the sections to yield during the opening or closing operation and I have found that this characteristic is eifective in exerting a substantial force lengthwise of the link I5 but without causing undue bending of the tongue member ID. In the initial opening operation the end of section 2 bends upwardly a slight amount.

For the urpose of further insuring that the members III and I5 in the fully open position of Fig. l, are disposed in a generally downward curve, whereby to restrain any tendency of the pivot lip I2 to rise at the beginning of the closing operation, the stop 24 may be provided on the plate 23 to limit the opening movement of the bracelet by abutting the link I 5 in fully open position as indicated in Fig. 6.

As indicated in Fig. 3, the depression of the tongue member Ill below the upper exposed surface of the section I is also effective in nesting and countersinking the members I 0 and I5 in folded position.

Because of the spring resiliency of the tongue member II], which is not completely spent when the bracelet is fully closed, the band sections are held in closed position and it is extremely unlikely that the bracelet will be opened by inadvertent catching of the end of the section 2 on some object, as has been common in bracelets as constructed heretofore. However, it will be noted that in the event of such inadvertent opening of the bracelet the take-up members I0 and I5 effectively limit the opening of the bracelet to a predetermined maximum amount which is less than that which will permit the bracelet to drop off the hand but which will allow it to be easily removed by manipulation. It will also be observed from Fig. 1 that the upper part of the bracelet including the take-up means, when in fully open position, conforms generally to the shape of a hand which is doubled up to receive the bracelet, the general curvature at the upper left hand portion of the bracelet conforming to the joint of the thumb.

It will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of my invention herein described and illustrated is subject to various modifications within the spirit of my invention which is to be limited only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a bracelet comprising a pair of band sections composed of sheet metal pressed to concavo-convex shape, hinge means securing together one pair of aifiacent ends of the band sections, said hinge means being pressed to a shape to conform to the crosssectional shape of the band sections.

2. As an article of manufacture, a bracelet comprising a pair of body sections, each section comprising an unarticulated strip of'metal, the said sections being hinged together at one pair of adjacent ends to permit opening and closing of the bracelet at their other adjacent ends, at least one of said body sections being resilient at its open end and being connected to the open end of the other body sections by a single rigid link pivoted to both body sections.

3. As an article of manufacture, a bracelet comprising a pair of unarticulated body sections, hinge means securing together one pair of adjacent ends of the body sections to permit opening and closing of the bracelet at the other ends of the body sections, a resilient extension forming the free end of one of the body sections and extended to project beneath the other body section when the bracelet is closed and a single rigid link connecting the said extension and the. said other body section.

4. As an article of manufacture, a bracelet comprising a pair of unarticulated body sections, hinge means securing together one pair of adjacent ends of the body sections to permit opening or closing of the bracelet at the other ends of the body sections, a resilient extension forming the free end of one of the body sections and extended to project beneath the other body section when the bracelet is closed, a link connecting the said extension and the other of said body sections, a pivot connecting the said link and the said extension and a second pivot connecting the said link and the said other body section.

5. As an article of manufacture, a bracelet comprising a pair of substantially similar unarticulated body sections, hinge means securing together one pair of adjacent ends of the body sections to permit opening and closing of the bracelet at free ends of the body sections substantially opposite said hinge means, a resilient extension forming the open end of one of the body sections and extended to project beneath the other body section when the bracelet is closed and link means connecting the said extension and the other of said body sections.

6. As an article of manufacture, a bracelet comprising a pair of body sections of substantially similar curvature, hinge means securing together one pair of adjacent ends of the body sections to permit opening of the body sections at their other adjacent ends, a resilient tongue member secured to the free end of one of the body sections and projecting therefrom to lie beneath the other body section when the bracelet is closed and link means connecting the said tongue member and the other of said body sections, the said tongue member being provided with a permanent deflection away from the said curvature of the said body sections and toward the inside of the bracelet, whereby to ensure inward deflection of the tongue member upon initial closing movement of the bracelet.

'1. In a bracelet take-up'device, the combination with a pair of bracelet sections hinged together at one pair of adjacent ends to permit opening and closing of the bracelet at their other adjacent ends, of a link, pivot means connecting the said link with the open ends of the said bracelet sections, and a stop projecting into the path 01 movement of said link and adapted to limit to a predetermined amount the extent of opening of the bracelet.

8. As an article of manufacture a bracelet having band sections composed of sheet metal pressed to concave-convex shape, hinge means securing together adjacent ends of said band sections, said hinge means being pressed to a shape to conform to the cross-sectional shape of the band sections.

OVIDA S. DAVIGNON.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

December 10, 1935 Patent No. 2,024,129.

OVIDA S. DAVIGNON.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, second column, line 39, claim 2, for "sections" read section; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 18th day of February, A. D. 1936.

Leslie Frazer Acting Commissioner of Patents.

(Seal) 

